Isaiah Messiah Prophecies – Any Exceptions?
Isaiah is the greatest of all the prophets, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia, and regarded by many Rabbi sages as second in importance only to Moses.[1] Prophecies of Isaiah, who lived 300 years after the reign of King David, foretell of the Messiah throughout his writings.
Many of Isaiah’s prophecies are referenced in the Babylonian Talmud reinforcing their significance.[2] In tractate Sanhedrin 98 alone, six Rabbis make 11 references to Isaiah’s Messiah prophecies.[3]
Dead Sea Scrolls discoveries in 1947 yielded one of the most treasured finds, the Great Isaiah Scroll. Dated to about 125 BC, it is the oldest known, nearly complete Hebrew text of the Book of Isaiah.[4]
In Jerusalem, the scroll is secured in the Israel Museum. It is 1000 years older than the Masoretic texts which primarily serve as the source for today’s Jewish Bible, the Tenakh.[5]
Ancient Hebrew text translating has its challenges. Consisting of an alphabet with only 22 letters, all consonants, used to form a root word which often times can either be a noun or a verb.
Translators must then rely on the broader context to fill in the vowels, tenses and other words to form a complete sentence in English.[6] Subjective translations obviously opens the door to variation.
In turn, variations in translations can impact interpretations of a prophecy’s meanings.[7] No surprise, Judaism interpretations are not always in agreement with Christianity, some differences are less clear than others.[8]
Jonathan Targum (targum means “translation”) is known as the “Official Targum to the Prophets” an Aramaic translation of the Tenakh with roots going back to about 200 BC.[9] According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, it was written “more freely, in harmony with the text of the prophetic books.”[10]
Scrolls were not broken down into chapter and verse when they were written. A section of verses on a specific topic are known as a parashah or pericope, such as Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 about “My Servant.”
Opening the Isaiah 52-53 parashah, Jonathan Targum reads, “Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper…” Towards the end of the parashah it reads, “…so as to cleanse their souls from sin: these shall look on the kingdom of their Messiah…”[11]
Most Christians believe Isaiah’s 52-53 parashah depicting of the life, torment, death and satisfaction in life-after-death of My Servant is a prophecy about the Messiah fulfilled by the trial, crucifixion, burial and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Judaism generally regards the parashah as a metaphor of a man, the nation of Israel and the house of Jacob ; however, not all Jewish authorities agree – Rabbi Rashi commented it refers to the biblical strongman, Sampson.[12]
Hours before his arrest during his final Passover meal with his Disciples, Jesus pointed out a prophecy written about himself that was soon to be fulfilled. Quoting from the parashah, Isaiah 53:12, he said:
LK 22:37 “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.””(NIV)
Preeminent Jewish Scriptures authority Rabbi Maimonides once asked a rhetorical question, “What is to be the manner of Messiah’s advent, and where will be the place of his first appearance?” Answering his own question, the Rabbi quoted two prophecies from the parashah; Isaiah 53:2, regarding the Messiah’s unheralded arrival, and Isaiah 52:15, explaining how kings would be “confounded at the wonders” the Messiah would perform.[13]
Most controversial is the prophecy Isaiah 7:14 viewed by Christianity as being fulfilled by the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Masoretic text translates`almah as meaning “young woman” while nearly all Christian Bibles translate `almah as “virgin.”[14] Making the controversy more provocative are some Christian Bible versions inconsistently translating Isaiah 7:14 as “young woman,” then translating it differently in Matthew as “virgin.”[15]
Jesus of Nazareth caused a stir, according to Luke, when he read from Isaiah to begin his ministry. Jesus read from Isaiah 61:1-2:[16]
IS 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn…” (NKJV)
Jesus had identified Isaiah’s prophecies as the basis for people to see that he is the fulfillment of those prophecies. Later, Jesus said the prophesies written by the prophets about the himself had to be fulfilled.[17]
Can some of the prophesies found in the Book of Isaiah be discarded or are they all to be regarded as pr0phecies about the Messiah?
Updated June 13, 2024.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
REFERENCES:
[1] “Isaiah.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8235-isaiah>
[2] Jones, Dennis A. “Jewish Messianic Texts.” The Emmanuel Church of the Web. n.d. <http://fecotw.tripod.com/id88.html> The Babylonian Talmud. Trans. Michael L. Rodkinson. 1918. http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/talmud.htm#t08> Soncino Babylonian Talmud. Ed. Rabbi Isidore Epstein. 1935 – 1948. <https://israelect.com/Come-and-Hear/tcontents.html>
[3] Soncino Babylonian Talmud. Sanhedrin 98a & b footnotes: Isaiah XLIX:7, XXIX:21 I:25, LIX:19, LIX:20, LX:21, LIX:16, XLVIII:11, LX:22; LIII.4. Also 38a, footnote #9 to Isaiah 8:14. <https://israelect.com/Come-and-Hear/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_98.html>
[4] “The Great Isaiah Scroll.” 2018. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem. <http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/isaiah> Miller. Library of Congress (United States). n.d. “Scrolls From the Dead Sea.” <https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/scrolls/late.html> Israel Antiquities Authority. 2012. “The Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library.” <https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/search#q=’Isaiah‘> Fred P. The Great Isaiah Scroll. 1998. “Qumran Great Isaiah Scroll.” <http://www.moellerhaus.com/qumdir.htm> Abegg, Jr., Martin G., Flint, Peter W. and Ulrich Eugene Charles. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible: the oldest known Bible translated for the first time into English. 2002. p 281. <http://books.google.com/books?id=c4R9c7wAurQC&lpg=PP1&ots=fQpCpzCdb5&dq=Abegg%2C%20Flint%20and%20Ulrich%2C%20The%20Dead%20Dead%20Sea%20Scrolls%20Bible%2C&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=Isaiah&f=false> “Dead Sea Scrolls.” Archaeology. 2018. <http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/dead-sea-scrolls.htm> “The Dead Sea Scrolls.” National Endowment For The Humanities. image. 2015. <https://essentials.neh.gov/sites/default/files/DeadSeaScroll_v1.jpg>
[5] Benner, Jeff A. “The Great Isaiah Scroll and the Masoretic Text.” Ancient Hebrew Research Center. 2017. <http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/bible_isaiahscroll.html> “Masoretic Text.” Encyclopædia Britannica. n.d. <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Masoretic-text> “Jewish Concepts: Masoretic Text.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2018. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Masoretic.html> “Masoretic Text.” Textus-Receptus.Com. 2016. <http://textus-receptus.com/wiki/Masoretic_Text> “Masoretic Text.” New World Encyclopedia. 2014. <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Masoretic_Text> Zew, Moshe. “The Numeric System of the Bible.” 27 Dec. 2013. WorldWide Witness by Moshe Zew. <http://www.kolumbus.fi/gematria/numeric.htm>
[6] “The Hebrew Language.” MyJewishLearning.com. n.d. <http://www.myjewishlearning.com/culture/2/Languages/Hebrew.shtml>
“History of the Hebrew Language.” B’NAI ZAQEN. 2005. <http://www.zaqen.info/hislangu.htm> Benner, Jeff A. “Introduction to the Ancient Hebrew Vocabulary.” Ancient Hebrew Research Center. 2013. <https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/introduction.htm> Benner, Jeff A. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.” Ancient Hebrew Research Center. 2017. <https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/introduction.htm>
[7] Benner. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible.”
[8] Neubauer and Driver. The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters. “Introduction.” pp. xxix- lxv. <https://books.google.com/books?id=YxdbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP1&hl=en#v=onepage&q=introduction&f=false> Sullivan, Charles A. “A History of Chapters and Verses in the Hebrew Bible.” 2012. <http://charlesasullivan.com/2693/a-history-of-chapters-and-verses-in-the-hebrew-bible>
[9] Neubauer, Adolf. And Driver, Samuel Rolles. The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters. 1877. “Thargum of Yonathan (Jonathan Targum)” pp. 5-7. <https://books.google.com/books?id=YxdbAA
[10] “Targum.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. AAQAAJ&pg=PP1&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Thargum&f=false>
[11] Neubauer. The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters. “Thargum of Yonathan.” pp. 5-7.
[12] The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary. Isaiah 53:3. Rashi commentary. Soncino Babylonian Talmud. n.d. Sotah 14a. <https://israelect.com/Come-and-Hear/sotah/sotah_14.html#14a_1> Crispin, Moshe Kohen ibn. “Sefer ha-Musar.” Neubauer, Driver & Rolles. The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters. pp. 99-101. <http://books.google.com/books?id=YxdbAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=advent&f=false> The Compete Jewish Bible- with Rashi Commentary. Isaiah 7:14. CR Judges Chapter 13.
[13] Mangel, Nissen. “Responsa.” Chabad.org. 2018. <http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/107783/jewish/Responsa.htm> Maimonides, “Letter to the South (Yemen)”. p 374. Neubauer and Driver. The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters.
[14] Isaiah 7:14. The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary. Isaiah 7:14. Jewish Publication Society Bible. <http://www.breslov.com/bible/Isaiah7.htm#14> “Mishneh Torah, Virgin Maiden 1. “Sefaria.org. n.d. <https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Virgin_Maiden.1.5?lang=bi>> Mishneh Torah, Forbidden Intercourse 17.” Sefaria.org. Footnotes #48 & 49. n.d. <https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Forbidden_Intercourse.17.13?lang=bi&with=Navigation&lang2=en>
[15] Good News Translation; Net Bible Translation.
[16] Luke 4:16-21; Isaiah 61:1-2a.
[17] Luke 24:44-48.
